Barriers To Communication

What are the Barriers to effective communication?

1. Language- This can affect communication in several ways. If the message is sent in a language in which the receiver is not fluent then the message can come out wrong. The receiver might not have the appropriate technical or academic knowledge to understand the message. In businesses, people use a special words to understand among the organisation of a business.

2. Atmosphere- The atmosphere in which a communication is made can influence the way it is received. For example, "If the relationship between the sender and the receiver is difficult or the receiver is worried about what the communication is about, the person receiving the message is likely to look for hidden messages and will often find one that is not intended.

3. Timing- People need to know when an important meeting is planned so that they have time to prepare for it. If the management plans to fire the employees, then the workforce should be told before it is announced to the media if the morale of the remaining workforce is maintained.

4. Physical barriers- These can be a range of things such as a person's speech which can affect the ability of a person to communicate. Technology such as: computer or fax machine is used, any malfunction of the equipment can result in communication breakdown. Issues like there is a noise in the background may affect communication as people may not be able to hear clearly what is being said.

How do businesses overcome barriers in communication?

If a business is to be effective people must communicate and express themselves effectively enough that they are understood. Communication is ineffective when there are barriers that stop them from being understood. Communication is about overcoming barriers.

So how do we overcome these barriers?

1. Listen. Taking the receiver of information more seriously.

2. Think (Concise, Correct and Complete). Think clearly before delivering the message so that the message does not get confused of misinterpreted.

3. Clear. Deliver messages skillfully. If it is in a written form maybe the key information can be bulleted or higlighted, for steps in work processes an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) could be prepared.

4. Be calm and Corteous (use friendly language). This is important when you have an upset team member or an angry client. Don't loose your temper and provoke them further.

Use the 6 "C"

Clear - Concise - Courteous - Constructive - Correct- Complete